I hate straight singing. I have to change a tune to my own way of doing it. That's all I know.

All dope can do for you is kill you... the long hard way. And it can kill the people you love right along with you.

Singing songs like 'The Man I Love' or 'Porgy' is no more work than sitting down and eating Chinese roast duck, and I love roast duck.

I can only sing songs my way. I don't know any other way.

I never sing a song the same way twice.

I joined Count Basie's band to make a little money and to see the world. For two years I didn't see anything but the inside of a Blue Goose bus, and I never got to send home a quarter.

I'm always making a comeback but nobody ever tells me where I've been.